Retro Sundays

A Short Film by Kurt Mayes

2012-10-25T20:13:00.000+11:00

Some of you may remember our interview with filmmaker Kurt Mayes back in March of 2011. Kurt has since graduated from film school picking up a 'Best Short Film' award at the 2012 Byron Bay Short Film Festival along the way for his short documentary 'Shall We Dance: The Tommy Franklin Story'.

Sit back and enjoy!

'Shall We Dance: The Tommy Franklin Story is an in depth look at Byron Bay icon, ‘Dancing Man’ Tommy Franklin. From his addiction fuelled teenage years to a life threatening car accident, see how Tommy’s passion and love for dance helped him overcome his darkest days and inspire countless others.' (Kurt Mayes, Director)

Winner of the Audience Award for ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2012 Byron Bay Short Film festival. Directed by Kurt Mayes. Produced by Kurt Mayes and Travis Hanley.

The Photo: Rainy Night

2012-07-14T21:10:00.000+10:00

Photo: Rainy Night
Photographer: Teddy Tan
Website: www.teddytan.com.au

The story...

'This photo was shot during a pre-wedding photography session of Su-Yin and Raymond. It had been raining throughout the duration of the photoshoot, but having already done some shots along Great Ocean Road two days prior, we were not as concerned about getting enough shots. So the atmosphere was relaxed and we had the freedom to experiment and try new things.

The location was outside Flinder’s Street Station at around 6pm, but this could be done anywhere relatively dark. I had an assistant holding a small flash under the train station shelter behind the couple. For me, I stood in the rain with an umbrella over me. Su-yin and Raymond were told to go to a happy place and I just fired away.

I loved the way the raindrops were outlined by the light coming from the back. The umbrella in Raymond’s hand is actually a studio photography umbrella, if you look closely there is no handle on it!

PS: Congratulations to Su-Yin, she’s going to become a mother soon!' Teddy Tan, Photographer

Thanks for sharing your photo and story with us Teddy.

The Photo: Crossing The Road at Vietnam

2012-07-12T21:10:00.002+10:00

Welcome to our new 'The Photo' section on the blog where we feature the story behind the photo.

Photo: Crossing The Road at Vietnam

Photographer: Chuian Feng

Website: www.1950photography.com

The story...

'I was in a cafe having a lunch break with everyone. The cafe is on the 3rd story of the road. And since we were in Vietnam, i wanted to bring out some iconic features that the place had to offer.

One thing that caught my sight is definitely the endless motorcycles zooming across the streets.

Immediately, i shared my concept with the couple. Although dangerous, they were game for it.

As i did not have an assistant for this shoot, to setup, i asked our Bridal Makeup Artist Liren (www.lirenneo.com) to be my light stand. She was holding a flash gun by the roadside with the couple. Imagine the numbers of motorcycles that had zoomed around and past them! Kudos to

Liren and the couple for their bravery.

I set my shutter to be as slow as possible so that the movement of the motorcycles can be captured. And after a few shots that had the motorcycles in the right place, its a wrap!

This photo got me a 4th spot placing in the recent WPJA Lit Portrait Category.' Chuian Feng, Photographer

Thanks for sharing your image and story with us Chuian Feng.

Interview: Chuian Feng, Photographer

2012-07-07T14:54:00.001+10:00

Welcome to the first of our Photo Booth 'Catch-up' sessions where we catch-up again with some of the talented individuals previously featured here on the blog.

To kick this session off we welcome back Photographer, Chuian Feng from 1950 Photography who we last featured here back in November last year.

Lets find out what Chuian Feng has been up to since then...

Welcome back to the ‘Photo Booth Sessions’ and congratulations on wining 3 awards in The WPJA contest recently. It must be extremely rewarding to have your work recognised within the industry. Thank you

Tell us a little about what you’ve been up to since your last interview here 8 months ago. Well, since the last interview, I had the blessed opportunity to travel almost around the world for wedding photography challenges. I have been to Melbourne, Sweden,

Vietnam

Japan

, Perth, Indonesia,

Malaysia

and many more countries! Not to forget

Singapore

too!

I was also able to fulfill one of my career goals by shooting with a couple under the northern lights, and have bagged 6 WPJA awards over the past 6 months!

The Northern Lights Dream. Would you like to elaborate a little more about the project.

The shoot came about when Jianyong and Jacqueline came to discuss their pre-wedding ideas with me. I just casually shared with them saying that its always been my dream to shoot a pre-wedding with the northern lights. And it was such a coincidence that they had the same dream too! So, with a preparation of less then 3 weeks, we were on a flight to Porjus.

Due to the unpredictability appearance nature of the northern lights, it was the most challenging task to date. We had to camp in the cold minus don't know how many degrees out in the total darkness at night with strong chilling winds to wait for the nights to appear. It was both daunting to the mind and physical. We had no idea which location the lights will appear as well.

Day 1 - We reached Porjus after traveling over 30 hours of journey, http://www.northernlightsdream.com/#!/the-northern-lights-anticipation/

With the terrible jet lag and tireless, i still decided to shoot on the first night. I asked our Makeup Artist, Liren, to get ready and start doing the makeup for Jacqueline as soon as we had settled down into the hotel.

The lights didn't really came out on the first night, we only manage to catch a few glimpse of it. Not wanting to totally burn out the whole team, we decided to head for rest at 1am, after not sleeping for more than 40hours.

Day 2 - Early morning, we drove 4hours up to Jukkasjärvi to have a full day shoot at the Ice Hotel. We were all geared up in the evening to wait for the lights to appear. But sadly, after hours of camping, nothing appeared.

Day 3 - Today, our adventure starts with dog sledding! It was indeed a memorable experience to have a pre-wedding session with the dogs and also a real BBQ in the wild! Sadly, no luck with the lights again at night.

Day 4 - After some shoot around Porjus vicinity, we were ready for the night again. There was a massive display at 130am. We couldn't believe our eyes. Jianyong shared with me that he actually teared when the lights came out. It was really a breathtaking sight to behold. But the challenges came. Our body and mind was terribly burnt out for the past few days camping and day shoot. Thank God that we had the same goal and preserve on. Finally, on the very last night at 330am, the shoot was done and mission accomplished! I can remembered my weaken body trembling state when i was showering back in the hotel at 4am. My back, hands and feet were in absolute pain due to frostbite. The ground was very unstable and almost half of my body was sunken in ice during the 2hour shoot. And i can't wear gloves during the shoot as it will hinder my ability to change the camera settings fast. Thank God the mind is stronger than the body during the shoot.

To celebrate this milestone of achieving my near-impossible dream, i had also setup a website www.northernlightsdream.com to document my dream.

This is your award winning image. Tell us about the process behind the scenes in capturing this photograph.

The shoot was done in total darkness. Northern lights will only appear at random spots when the environment is dark and cold.

When the lights came out, my assistant use a small light gun to portray a dim light at the couple.

I had to adjust the camera settings to suit the environment. The tricky part is to find the best settings for that environment in the fastest time possible so that everyone will not freeze.

Also, the technical part of the photography would be to shoot the photo in the fastest possible shutter speed, so that the couple will not have motion blur and everything is captured perfectly.

For more of Chuian Feng's work check out www.1950photography.com

Thank you so much for joining us again Chuian Feng. Its always a pleasure to feature your work on my blog. All the best with your future projects.

Interview: Amber Baxter, Fashion Graduate

2012-06-29T22:10:00.000+10:00

Welcome to the latest edition of the Photo Booth Sessions. We are joined by talented fashion graduate from Melbourne, Amber Baxter.

Amber has built a successful portfolio during her studies and will no doubt established herself in the industry before we know it. It is with great pleasure to feature her story and work on my blog.

Lets find out a little bit more about Amber.

Amber recently graduated from RMIT with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Fashion Technology to go with a Diploma of Fashion Design and Technology that she had completed earlier.

In November 2011 Amber and seven other graduates held a small runway show in a Melbourne gallery to showcase their final year designs. 'The night was a huge success and was fully organised by the students. It was such a fun experience and really makes you want to undergo the whole thing again on a larger scale.'

In the future Amber would like to explore the buying and styling side of the industry. 'I’ve worked backstage alongside many Melbourne stylists for quite a few shows and have always found it so exciting. It’s a lengthy and arduous process to pull off something great in the fashion world, but the end reward is exhilarating. In the near future my ambition is to get a small collection produced and sold locally.'

The moment you realised you wanted to be a fashion designer.

I’ve always been quite creative, my nana was the one who taught me to sew and I looked forward to rummaging through her fabric offcuts to make clothes for my toys from a very young age.

Describe your style.

My personal style is quite classic. I like quirky pieces here and there to compliment my staple wardrobe. My design style reflects that too, however I like to incorporate and experiment with lots of textures and prints to give an edge to each garment.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

I adore photography blogs. I love seeing how others interpret their surroundings, what they find beautiful, and transferring that into a garment design. My final year uni men’s-wear assignment centred around one image which gave me an intense colour palette and even textures to replicate. I also always check out fashionising.com for the latest fashion and society trends.

Tools of the trade.

I do all my design and patternmaking on paper. I use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to develop prints.

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final garment.

I like to work from fabric to design. I love picking up a fabric swatch or exploring fabric stores and finding something motivating. The design ideas will rush to me and I go from there, picking complimentary fabrics and building a palette to work from further. I’ve dabbled in having my own pattern repeats printed on fabric which is a great way to give that extra, personal signature to a look.

Your dream project?

I have been really fascinated by zero-waste fashion recently and think there is a lot of potential to do some great things with it. I’d love to work on a collaboration project with other designers who also share an interest in the field.

Any hobbies or passions outside of fashion?

I fancy myself quite the chef and spend hours in the kitchen cooking and baking. My most recent success was passionfruit macaroons, absolutely delicious! I love cooking and enjoying a meal with my friends and family.

Can't live without.

I can’t live without my phone. It’s such a gen Y answer but it really just holds so much of my little world at my fingertips. And, my sewing toolbox!

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

I’ve gone through a few career aspirations growing up from being a vet to joining the army. Now I could think of nothing worse than wearing camouflage 24/7!

Favourite things of all time:

Movie – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and High Society

TV Show - Right now, Made In Chelsea

Musician - Regina Spektor

Album - Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell

Song - Tiny Dancer by Elton John

Book - Kelly Cutrone: If You Have To Cry, Go Outside.

Magazine - Harper’s Bazaar

Food - Anything with spinach and ricotta! Oh, and dumplings!

Sporting Team - Essendon

Contact: amber.helenevelyn@gmail.com

Thanks Amber for your time and for sharing your work with us.

Coming soon to Retro Sundays

2012-06-29T22:05:00.000+10:00

I am excited to announce a new feature that is coming soon to this blog to be called 'The Photo'.

I have always been fascinated by the story behind an image. How that image came about or the process behind the scenes in capturing that moment.

So to further explore that aspect of a photograph I will be featuring images with the photographer's story behind the photo.

Stay tuned!

Interview: Emily Kiddy, Print & Graphic Designer

2012-05-29T21:46:00.001+10:00

Welcome to the latest edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions'. Today we are joined by Emily Kiddy, a Fashion, Print and Graphic Designer from Cambridge, UK.

Emily is a very talented designer whose work is applied through fashion, textiles, home ware, gift and stationery. I first came across her work through Twitter and instantly became a fan of her graphics work, especially her prints and patterns. It is with great pleasure as always to feature Emily's story and work on my blog.

Lets find out a little more about Emily.

I studied Fashion Design and Business at the University for the Creative Arts (in London) where I now lecture on design too.

After graduating I spent three years working as a designer for various different suppliers and retailers in London where I gradually began specialising in fashion print and graphics. At the same time I was designing my own prints and patterns in the evenings and weekends and selling them at trade shows worldwide.

I started to have quite a bit of success selling my own prints and it was at this point I decided to quit my full time job and become a freelancer specialising in print and graphics for young fashion.

Type of design work you do.

As well as selling my prints at trade shows including Printsource, Indigo and Surtex, I also take print commissions from various brands and retailers worldwide too. I also do lots of design and brand consultancy work at the same time. As well as selling my prints to young fashion brands and retailers I also sell a lot of prints to home ware, interior and stationery companies too.

I also lecture on the Fashion Marketing and Management degree at my old University. I deliver lectures and workshops to students providing them with information and support on various aspects of the fashion industry that I have had experience of myself.

A little about your blogs.

I started my blog when I left university to make my work easily accessible for potential employers. Since then I have always used it to show case my current work and build up an online portfolio. I also share a lot of my trend work and research as well as other bits and pieces that inspire me along the way.

I also have a smaller blog (that’s not updated so much) where I share lectures and design tutorials that I have presented to students that I think others may find useful too.

Location.

When I started freelancing I decided to move out of London to the countryside where I feel much more inspired! I now live with my boyfriend Jamie and our three dogs near Cambridge (about 40 minutes north of London).

We converted our spare bedroom into our shared office (Jamie runs a traditional online children’s toy shop) so often our work crosses over a lot and its great having someone when you're working at home that you can bounce ideas off.

I don’t have a website as its very hard to sell my prints that way. All my prints have to be exclusive so I agree with client’s not to have them online in case of copyright etc. I therefore use my blog to showcase bits of my portfolio and the rest goes to trade shows or is presented in meetings with clients.

I am about to open an Etsy shop selling personalised stationery, prints and illustrations. I hope to open it in the next couple of months!

The moment you realised you wanted to be a designer.

I have been creative since I was very tiny. I was always making clothes out of anything I could lay my hands on and putting on fashion shows at school from the age of five. I was never far from a pen and pencil and a pot of paints! As I grew up I always focused my studies around my creativity, which has led me to where I am today!

Describe your style.

That’s a hard one! Obviously I specialise in young fashion and print (my main market is baby through to young teen) However, I’m always being inspired by different things and wanting to try new print styles and techniques out. My style is always evolving; I never know where I’m going next which is what I really like about what I do.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

I follow a lot of design blogs (not just fashion-focused) always looking for new ideas and inspiration. I also use two trend websites called Mudpie and Stylsight to keep up with the most up to date trends. I love the work of fashion designers Milly and Matthew Williamson and their bold use of colour and print in their collections.

Tools of the trade.

I work on an i mac most of the time and use a mac powerbook laptop for when I’m working away from home. I use Adobe illustrator for most of my design work as well Photoshop and In-Design too. I also use a bamboo pen and pad (which you use like a pencil over a pad instead of a mouse) so I can be really accurate and create hand drawn styles straight onto screen.

Describe your creative work flow.

I begin each fashion season with a week of intense researching on blogs, trends sites, and comp shopping to create six different trend stories. I then design my print collections inspired by these stories. This way it makes it much more easier for clients to buy from.

Obviously I am continually researching throughout the season reacting to emerging trends and making sure I design into these too.

As the season progresses my prints go off to tradeshows and I start to work with brands and retailers providing a freelance design consultancy service. I also take on lots of print commissions at the same time too.

Your dream project?

That’s another hard one! I would like to get more involved with prints and graphics for home and stationery.

Any hobbies or passions outside of design?

I love living in the countryside and generally enjoy just being outside. I love walking with our dogs and horse riding as well as playing around with photography too!

Can't live without?

My loved ones!

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

A fashion designer!!

Favourite things of all time:

Movie: Mulholland Drive

TV Show: Grand Designs

Musician: Interpol

Album: Antics

Song: Specialist

Book: 100 years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Magazine: Milk Magazine

Food: Dim Sum

For more of Emily's work please check out her blog

Thank you so much Emily for your time and for sharing your work with us.

Interview: Chapman Yeung, Digital Animator

2012-05-23T16:29:00.000+10:00

On our latest edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions', we are joined by Digital Animation graduate, Chapman Yeung.

Fresh out of college Chapman is a talented animator who is rapidly building a great looking portfolio that shows his depth of creative skills. Apart from his animation work you will see a crossover of mediums into traditional drawings and digital photography. It is with great pleasure to welcome Chapman to the 'Photo Booth Sessions'.

Let's find out a little more about Chapman.

What and where did you study?

I studied a Bachelors Degree in Creative Technology, majoring in Digital Animation, at JMC Academy located in South Melbourne

What type of Animation work do you do? Where do you see your career going?

My main focus is 3d animation work, I can do 2d animation also but out of the two I’d pick 3d over 2d. As for 3d animation I have yet to specialize in a specific area because I’m just too picky because I like doing a bit of everything, I’m more of a generalist. As for my career progression I’m not sure where it’ll head since I still have a lot to learn, but hopefully in the future I'll be working for an animation studio.

I’m currently based in Melbourne, but if an opportunity for a career ever arises overseas somewhere, I’ll have no problem packing up and moving.

The moment you realised you wanted to be an animator?

I actually had no intention of becoming an animator I mean the option was always there and I found the topic animation interesting enough, but it was never my plan. My real passion was for art, I really enjoy drawing and painting. I started drawing ever since I could hold a pencil, and the plan straight after high school was for me to enter into a traditional arts course. I soon realised that maybe my first degree I come out with, should perhaps help if not give me a slightly better chance with job opportunities, not as to say that animation is booming with job opportunities, just slightly better than me sitting around waiting for an artwork to be sold haha.

Describe your style?

Oh that’s a hard one to answer, honestly I wouldn’t know what my style is like, I adopt many styles through inspiration that I gather for each project to get an overall style in the end, it varies each time.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

I guess it would be at looking at other artists works and seeing what their doing that’s unique and creatively different. From there I then try to break down the process they went through to achieve the end result in my head, which then gets me pumped to produce something on a similar level and in turn makes me thrive to become better.

Tools of the trade

Sketchbook is a must have for me, to jot down ideas, concepts and sketches. Then comes an able computer to render out high quality 3d graphics and of course my wacom tablet.

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final production

It’s a large massive puzzle, everything is stored in my head, I do jot down stuff into my sketchbook to keep track, but ultimately its in my mind and then pieced together through the progression of the project. (sticky notes do help)

Your dream project?

I love working/collaborating with other people, so for a dream project I guess it would be to work with other animators to produce a fantastic short animation film.

Any hobbies or passions outside of design/animation?

I like gathering a library of anything to do with arts, design, animation etc magazines and books to use as inspiration and resource, but if I were to say a hobby that’s outside of all to do with arts, I’d have to say collecting old vintage cameras along with vinyls and hunting down record players.

Can't live without?

My computer and confectionery lollies to keep me going haha

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

Kinder – wanted to be a clown

Primary school – wanted to be a policeman

High school – wanted to be an artist

Favourite things of all time:
Movie – The Goonies
TV Show – Its Always Sunny
Band - Underoath
Book – James Sallis writes amazing novels
Magazine – Computer Arts
Food – Potato Salad

Chapman can be contacted through Twitter or Tumblr.

www.yeuc.tumblr.com

www.twitter.com/Yeumc

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your work with us Chapman.

Interview: Lester Jones, Photographer

2012-05-06T22:21:00.002+10:00

On this edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions' we are joined by Sydney based Photographer, Lester Jones.

All Images © Lester Jones Photography/I Dig Your Sole Man 2012

I met Lester at the recent Melbourne Carbon Festival and being a big sneaker fan instantly became interested in his work on his sneaker based street blog, idigyoursoleman.com. I love the originality in his work and his 'freestyle' look. His images are fresh and very honest. It is with great pleasure to feature his story and work on my blog.

Lets find out a little more about Lester.

How long have you worked as a photographer?Been shooting for years, got into it more seriously about 3 years ago.

Brief career history. My background is as a TV Producer which is something I've been doing for over 15 years (including producing the first episode/series of Masterchef). I studied photography back at college and uni in the

.

Type of photography work you do. Portraits, reportage, events, product, fashion and video.

A little about your blog. What and how did it begin and where you see it going.
Well, my blog is called I Dig Your Sole Man (www.idigyoursoleman.com). It was created in 2009 as a chance for me to investigate an area that fascinates me, and also gives me the chance to publish work on a regular (daily) basis.

All Images © Lester Jones Photography/I Dig Your Sole Man 2012

The idea came from my wife who loves the fashion blogs; The Satorialist, Face Hunter, Garance Dore, Jak and Jill, which to me all look amazing but can be elitist if you don't know high end fashion, so I decided to create something more accessible that everyone can relate to, and came up with IDYSM which is the world's first ever sneaker based street blog. While I still shoot a lot of the other stuff the blog is ongoing.

I'm based in Sydney but travel wherever and whenever possible, and I also run a personal site; www.lesterjonesphotography.com.

All Images © Lester Jones Photography/I Dig Your Sole Man 2012

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer? When I was about 16, I read a book about Linda McCartney's work in my college library which was mostly reportage work of behind the scenes stuff with bands in the 60's/70's, it really turned me on to shooting that captured a time/place with each image telling great stories. I still love that stuff, both her and Leibowitz captured some amazing moments of an amazing time.

Describe your style. Not sure how to answer that as like any shooter it's always evolving. I would like to think it's clean, contemporary and offers something a little bit different.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences? I look at the work of a lot of other shooters, both past and present, I watch a lot of movies, and a lot of movie trailers, and shoot as often as I can. Inspiration can come from anywhere so I try and stay as open eyed, ear'd and minded as possible.

All Images © Lester Jones Photography/I Dig Your Sole Man 2012

Tools of the trade.I shoot mostly on a 7D (love the 50p video), also sometimes shoot on a Canon s95, and have even turned stuff out on an iPhone too.

Describe your creative workflow? Hectic and coffee fuelled, but I've never missed a deadline

Your dream project? This sounds cheesy but I love shooting anything really. I've got loads of ideas for projects so lets see what happens.

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography? My hobby...photography!

Can't live without? Family, friends, and Coopers Pale Ale.

Growing up I wanted to be a..... TV presenter/producer. Done that!

All Images © Lester Jones Photography/I Dig Your Sole Man 2012

Favourite things of all time.

Movie: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Cinema Paradiso, Dumb and Dumber, Godfather pt 2.

TV Show: Arrested Development, Curb, Seinfeld, Breaking Bad

Musician: Noel Gallagher, Jack White

Album/Song: Off the top of my head...Let Forever Be - Chemical Brothers/Noel Gallagher

Check out more of Lester's work.
idigyoursoleman.com
www.lesterjonesphotography.com

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your work with us Lester.

Interview: Georgia Coote, Textile Designer

2012-02-28T20:58:00.007+11:00

On our very first Photo Booth Session for the year we are joined by UK based Textile Designer, Georgia Coote.

I came across Georgia's work online through Twitter and was instantly attracted to her work. I love the illustrations and colours used in her patterns.

I am totally inspired by her retro style designs and am excited to be able share her work with you on my blog.

Lets find out a little bit more about Georgia.

How did you begin your career, type of design work you do and where you see your career going? Where are you based?

I graduated from the Norwich School of Art in 2006 gaining a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Textile Practices. I design surface patterns which be applied to many different surfaces, at the moment my designs are available for licensing, but in the future I would love to design and produce my own range of fabric, and stationery. Alongside my designing I also run creative workshops and courses on things like pattern making, collage and sensory art.

I'm based in Essex, UK.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a textile designer? I don't think there was a particular moment, I always knew I wanted to be something creative and gradually I realised that everything I did would always come back to patterns and decorative arts. My mum is a textile artist and so I've always been surrounded by piles of patterned fabrics. I'm always attracted to a pattern (why have something plain?!), my home is a hotchpotch of all different patterns and colours that inspire me!

Describe your style. Retro, comfy, whimsical.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences? I'm continually inspired by Liberty print fabrics, they always have such a strong style and yet always look really contemporary at the same time. I also love mid century and Scandinavian design, along with the 'Fauve' artists. Books are a constant source of inspiration, as are design blogs and websites. My husband and family are all really creative so I'm always really inspired by the things they do.

Tools of the trade. My initial drawings are always in pencil, and I like to vary using thick sharpie pens and ultra fine pilot pens, my mac computer, Illustrator and Photoshop.

Describe your creative workflow from concept to completion. I generally will find something I really love like a vintage plate, postcard or scrap of fabric and then start drawing and taking inspiration from it. I'll then develop these drawings until I'm happy with the overall motif and scan it into my computer, I'll then alter the lines in illustrator, add colour and then work out a repeat. I'll then do some print outs and mock ups to see how the design is looking and then make further changes.

Your dream project? To design a fabric range for Liberty's. Having just had a baby, I also would love to get involved in something designed for children, I love the way you can use really bright colours and bolder and simpler patterns with children's products.

Any hobbies or passions outside of design? Baking (chocolate brownies are my signature bake!) and playing with my 4 month old daughter Delilah.

Can't live without? My husband!

Growing up I wanted to be.......... an artist.

Georgia's Studio

Favourite things of all time:
Movie - The Wedding Singer
TV Show - At the moment I love New Girl.
Musician - Stevie Wonder
Album - Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
Song - 'Lets Stay Together' Al Green
Book - Daddy Long Legs
Magazine - LionHeart Magazine (www.lionheart-mag.com)
Food - Chocolate cheesecake

To see more of Georgia's work please check out her website www.georgiacoote.co.uk

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your work with us Georgia.

Interview: Rosie Ren, Graphic Designer

2011-12-28T15:21:00.014+11:00

On this edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions' we are joined by Melbourne Graphic Designer Rosie Ren.

Rosie has an amazing portfolio of work. She has an interesting and unique style and creative process. I am fascinated by her designs and totally love her work.

Let's find out a little more about Rosie.

I’ve been working as a freelance graphic designer since 2007. When I was studying Architecture at Melbourne University, my lecturer gave me a gig designing a poster for a conference she was organising. I don’t think she wanted to pay me at the time but I managed to convince her that I was worth the money, and it took off from there.

I have always been in to drawing and making things from a young age. My grandmother who is very artistic herself, taught me how to draw, make origami and papercuttings so I grew up with an interest in drawing and art. At University I studied Architecture before graduating and realising that it wasn’t for me so I decided to trade in my masters for a Diploma in Graphic Design at Swinburne TAFE instead.

I work mostly in the area of print design, and have done a bit of everything from designing logos, journal covers and posters to interior wall graphics and corporate photo montages. Most of my favourite projects have involved illustration and digital collage – two things that I love and it’s a process that I find comes very naturally to me.

Where do I see my career going? I value inspiration, flexibility and growth. I’d like to travel and have the opportunity to work internationally one day and I want to eventually grow my studio to be bigger than just graphic design. The role of the arts in mental health and education is something I’m interested in as well as the psychological value of design. So at some point I would like to get in to research and art therapies. I’m under no illusions that graphic designers are out to save the world but I think we have a powerful tool in visual communication and if we can help the important messages get across to more people in a compelling way and encourage conversation, then that can be something good.

I started working in 2007 as a freelance graphic designer for the UNESCO Observatory, which has an office at Melbourne University. During 2008 I was doing an internship at an Architecture firm in Southbank, Victoria. The firm was great, but I found drafting to be a bore so I squeezed myself in to the graphics department in the company and swapped Autocad for Photoshop and InDesign. That was when I decided that graphic design was what I really should be doing – I was always having fun, and the skills I was developing felt natural. So the following year I enrolled in a Diploma of Graphic Design and graduated in June this year. I was still designing on a freelance basis during my days off at TAFE, picking up freelance jobs here and there. After graduating from Swinburne I did a small internship with David Lancashire Design in Carlton which led to a freelance relationship with the studio.

Currently, I am working on a freelance basis for MediaCode and Melbourne University and also with small businesses around Melbourne. It’s been great fun and also a huge learning experience in terms of dealing with clients and being a good businesswoman as well as a great designer.

I am based in Melbourne, Australia but available to work virtually anywhere. Some of my work can be viewed at www.rosieren.com

Describe your style.

I like beautiful images and attention to detail as well as subtle details in design. Image making is a great love of mine, and I have bags of literature, paper textures and scraps of photos and old magazines that I scan and use for my digital collages. My aim is to create images that are beautiful, compelling and interesting – but my hope is they are more than just a visual feast to the viewer. I also try to create a sense of wonder, nostalgia and sadness in them. I also love doing things by hand. At the moment I’m creating a series of hand rendered type and calligraphy which hopefully will look amazing when it’s finished.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

Anything and everything inspires me. Sometimes just walking down the street and seeing someone wear a funny hat will give me an idea. I think the trick is to not look too hard for inspiration and just let it happen to you. But at the same time you have to let yourself be open to new ideas and knowledge and absorb everything around you like a sponge. A few months ago I was in Tasmania and looking at a painting by Michaye Boulter and feeling like I could fall in. It’s great to stumble upon things.

Tools of the trade.

Food. Macbook. Pencils. And access to YouTube always helps speed things up or slow things down.

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final print.

I start off a project with a brainstorm involving mostly words and sketches. I write the title of the project in the middle of a big page and put a little cloud around it and it takes off from there. Sometimes I will have a good idea immediately and I will start to research key words and elements associated with the project. After that I will usually make a few thumbnails of what I envision the final design will look like and then begin the process of collecting images and textures, or start illustrating the different elements. Finally I put together everything in either Photoshop or Illustrator before finishing it off in InDesign. Most of the time the finished art looks nothing like the thumbnails. That’s okay!

Your dream project?

I’m a book nerd and would love to eventually draw and produce a children’s book, as well as work on cover design for design oriented publishing houses such as FUEL publishing (also a design studio) or TASCHEN. I would also love to do more work for not-for-profit organisations on an international scale involving my image making skills.

Any hobbies or passions outside of design?

I love dancing and started learning ballet two years ago and that has been amazing. I think if I had started at a young age I would have liked to become a professional ballerina!

Can't live without?

Food! I’m hungry all the time and I have to eat every four hours.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

I wanted to be a writer or a journalist or go in to politics and work for DFAT. At the time I missed out on getting marks to study Media and Communications so I decided to do Architecture. And while I still like to write, now I can’t imagine doing anything else other than designing.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie: Zoolander

TV Show: A tie between Mad Men and Arrested Development

Musician: I listen to everything and anything.

Album: The very first CD I bought was Spice Girls; Spice and it changed my life.

Book: Atlas Shrugged, Harry Potter, The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Magazine: I’m a magazine addict. I love Elephant, Monocle, IDN, Wooden Toy, Frankie, Habitus, Italian and French Vogue, and Interview and W magazine for their gorgeous spreads. Recently I bought Condiment magazine which is a bizarre little magazine about food, art and community and it was a good read.

Food: I like soup, steak, hot dogs and chicken wings. And basically all other foods.

Check out www.rosieren.com for more of Rosie's work.

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your work with us Rosie.

Interview: Chuian Feng, Photographer

2011-11-18T21:33:00.018+11:00

On our 15th edition of the Photo Booth Sessions we are joined by Singapore based photographer, Chuian Feng.

Chuian Feng captures every moment perfectly. His portfolio is very impressive and his images often have a fun vibe about it. It is with great pleasure to be able to feature his work on my blog.

Lets find out a little more about Chuian Feng.

Quick bio.

I began as a multimedia animation developer for my own company, Halcyon Media. This helps a lot in my visual and composition aspect during photography as it gives me a creative background. People nowadays go for more creative photography.

In my range of work, i have done interior architecture, portraits, stills, food, product shots, creative advertisement and of course, weddings.

I am based in sunny Singapore.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?

For wedding photography, its the moment when i have shot one of my best friend wedding in Bali. The feeling of the moments captured, the joy, laughter in all natural moments. And of course, the satisfaction that you can get from each couple when they thanked you for the moments captured at their weddings. Its a totally awesome feeling.

For corporate photography, i love it when i see a project from end to end. From how an idea was evolved, to how an idea was finished and put into place.

Describe your style.

My style is labeled as creative, spontaneous and totally natural

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

Books.... and international award winning photographers

Tools of the trade.

My Bowens, Canons and the prime glasses.

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final print.

Wow... this is really hard to describe. It normally goes like this

Stage 1 - Initial fact finding

Stage 2 - Conceptualized of idea

Stage 3 - Discussion of ideas and bouncing ideas to and fro

Stage 4 - Planning the shoot

Stage 5 - Shooting it

Stage 6 - Post production

Stage 7 - Proof print

Stage 8 - Delivering the final print

Your dream project?

For corporate, i would love to shoot landscape photography for some government tourism board. Its always been my passion to travel!

For weddings, i have already fulfilled some of my dreams (shooting at Disneyland, great wall of china, etc). I would love to shoot the Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) with a couple some day!

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography?

Traveling and road trips!

Can't live without?

My dog.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

I've always wanted a stable and challenging job environment. Guess these 2 words, stable and challenging doesn't come together. :p

Favourite things of all time:

Movie: Pixar Animated films

TV Show: Nil - Hardly watch TV

Musician: Jacky Cheung

Song: Canto song, 張學友-愛是永恆 and 每天愛你多一些

Book: The holy bible

Magazine: Don't read magazines nowadays

Food: Singapore style Chili Crab/Black pepper crabs

Sporting Team: WWE

Please check out www.1950photography.com for more of Chuian Feng's Wedding work and for his corporate work please check out www.coporatephotographysingapore.com
Thanks for your time and for sharing your work with us, Chuian Feng.

Interview: Teddy Tan, Photographer

2011-11-12T21:06:00.017+11:00

On this edition of the Photo Booth Sessions we are joined by Melbourne based photographer, Teddy Tan.

Teddy creates stunning images that are unique and timeless. His image of the bride and groom waltzing in the rain has to be one of my all time favorite images.

It is with great pleasure to feature Teddy's work on my blog.

Let's find out a little bit more about Teddy.

Quick Bio.

I started doing portraits as a hobby and then assisted a friend in weddings. Now I shoot weddings mostly, and occasionally, portraits and commercial stuff. I yearn to have more time to shoot stuff I like most (editorials), but wedding photography takes up most of my time now.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?

After I read somewhere that wedding photographer is one of the Top 10 overpaid jobs. Shortly after I began this career, I realised that this is not the case at all. The author probably saw the glamorous side of a wedding photographer and overlooked the other 90% of the work behind the scene.

Describe your style.

Random, funny, and spontaneous. In a wedding, I look for a teary bride, an emotional father/mother, an overwhelmed groom, and hugs and kisses. And anything that deviates from the traditional stuff, me likes.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

Failblog.org. Or anything that gives me a chuckle.

Tools of the trade.

GO NIKON!

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final print.

Concept –> Organize logistics –> Shoot –> Edit –> Final Print.

Your dream project?

Shooting the wedding of Delta Goodrem. She was engaged but called it off, maybe because she didn’t find a good wedding photographer. Delta, I’m here!!!

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography?

Does Facebook count?

Can't live without?

Food. I know all of us need to eat, but I will probably die mentally first. My favourites are laksa and nasi lemak.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a soldier because holding guns was cool. Growing up, I realised soldiers die in battlefields, then I changed my mind and wanted to be a doctor. Then I watched a TV drama about a doctor being robbed and killed because of his wealth, I changed my mind again and wanted to be a teacher, just like my parents were. Then I studied for an engineering degree but became a photographer instead.

For more of Teddy's work please check out www.teddytan.com.au

Also check out Teddy's Facebook 'Come join my facebook page, need more likers!'
Thanks for your time and for sharing your work with us Teddy.

A little Renovation

2011-10-02T18:41:00.005+11:00

Having being so inspired by the many talented individuals that have been featured on this blog. I have decided to make this a prime focus for this blog going forward.

Stay tune for many more talented creatives that will be interviewed and featured.

To find a new home for everything else i have started a new tumblr blog.

Please come and follow me at http://retrosundays.tumblr.com where I will continue to explore the world of photography.

See you there!

Interview: Kasia Piechocka, Jewellery Designer

2011-09-02T19:36:00.011+10:00

On this edition of the Photo Booth Sessions we are joined by up and coming South-East London based Jewellery Designer, Kasia Piechocka.

It is with great pleasure to feature her work on this blog.
Let's find out a little more about Kasia.

How long have you been a Jewellery Designer?

I just graduated in Jewellery Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (CSM) this academic year. So I can only really claim to have been a Jewellery Designer for two months!

I spent five years studying full time at a Fine Art College in Poland, It was here that I really developed my drawing, painting, photography, calligraphy and sculpting skills. But CSM was the place where I experimented with lots of different materials in order to create jewellery and jewellery-like pieces.

What type of jewellery do you design?

I mainly design and make jewellery that is classed as ‘fine jewellery’. My pieces are usually made from precious metals and precious stones. I believe these are perfect materials to create the luxury and sophisticated feel that I want my jewellery to have.

Where do you see your career going?

I could not possibly pin down a route for my career to go, however I hope to have my work showcased all around the world.

As a Designer I strive to create jewellery that is renowned for its uniqueness, craftsmanship and originality. I want to keep achieving these goals while still ensuring that my brand always keeps a very personal relationship with its clients.

I am based in South-East London. My materials all purchased in London, and the jewellery is handmade on my workbench in South London.

My work is available to view and purchase on my website: www.kasiapiechocka.com

The moment you realized you wanted to be a Jewellery Designer?

I always grew up thinking that I would become a painter. But few years after graduating from Fine Art College in Poland I took up a short course in Jewellery Design at CSM. I absolutely loved the subject from that point onwards. I had stumbled upon a subject that in my mind was the perfect combination of design, sculpting, drawing, painting and composition. It was this short course that both introduced me and confirmed to me that I wanted to be a Jewellery Designer.

Describe your style.

I like to think my unisex jewellery is edgy and glamorous. It is perfect for anybody who wants to add a touch of luxury to their look.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

I often have a subject or theme that I am designing towards however I feel that I draw creative inspiration from everything that is around me. I especially find Zdzislam Beksinski, architecture, man made mechanisms and human behaviour tremendously inspirational.

Tools of the trade.

I use very basic tools to create my jewellery. I own and use lots of files of different grades; from the very rough ones which help me to get the general look of the piece in wax, to very fine ones which allow me to get rid of any undercuts in the metal. I also frequently use carving tools, a pendant drill and torches. Apart that I have few hammers a pair of pliers and that would be all I think… :)

Describe your creative work flow from concept to final product.

I am really inspired by the lives of real people and want to continue this theme in my future collections. When I have the story or idea of the person the collection is about, I start researching what they like/liked, what their hobbies are/were, what their dreams are/were, their dreams and life ethos, what music they listen/listened to or what places visited…

This research eventually forms an catalogue of shapes, colours and moods in my head. From that point I start to get me thinking about how I can channel these thoughts into physical pieces of jewellery.

Your dream project?

I thoroughly enjoy every piece of jewellery I create. I can’t say that I have a specific ‘dream project’.

Any hobbies or passions outside of jewellery design?

I absolutely love drawing and painting, and I do many paintings and drawings in my free time. In fact, I will be exhibiting selection of my (never-seen-before) pencil drawings on the 8th September at The Pop- up Art Show in The Red Lion , 41 Hoxton Street, London. I will show my work alongside several painters, print maker and sound artist.

Can't live without?

I think we can always adapt, change and live with whatever situation we are in. However I don’t think that I could live very long without Air… :)

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

A Painter

Awards:

Metal Bursary Award, Goldsmiths’, London Jan 2011

Gold Prize, Marmalade Award, Goldsmiths’, London March 2010

Prize Winner, International Student Medal Project 2009, British Art Medal Society March 2009

Second Prize Winner in sculpture, ‘Genius of The Year’, Zielona Gora’s Arts Society, Poland May 2003

Second Prize Winner in Photography, ‘Child World’, Polish Culture and Arts Society, Poland April 2002

Exhibitions:

New Designers, London June 2011- July 2011

Graduation Show, CSM, London June 2011

Representing UK in Medal Exhibition, Finland April 2010

Prize Winners Exhibition, Goldsmiths Hall, London March 2010

Medal Exhibition, British Museum, London Nov 2009- Dec 2009

Medal Exhibition, Royal Cornwall Museum, Cornwall April 2009- May 2009

Diploma Exhibition, Graf Gallery, College of Fine Arts, Zielona Gora, Poland June 2003

I would like to thank Kasia for her time and for sharing her work with us.

Please check out her website www.kasiapiechocka.com for more of her work.

Interview: Sophie Turner, Photographer

2011-08-03T21:05:00.014+10:00

On this edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions', we are joined by talented photographer Sophie Turner. Her images are fresh and beautiful. Every image is captured to perfection.

It is with great pleasure to feature her story and work on this blog.

Sophie and her kids, Harry and Finn, enjoying an autumnal Sunday in Berry.

Let's find out a little more about Sophie.

How long have you been a photographer?
Officially for about 4 years (woah, that went fast!), unofficially since about 2005.

I’m 99% self taught. Brought a DSLR camera on a whim one Christmas as a little present for my heart. A desire that had been lurking but never actioned. From that day on, my face was permanently glued to my camera, a cute little Nikon D70 in those early days. You put a nice looking coffee cup in front of me in those days... I would photograph it. I’m sure my friends despaired of me.

Flickr was my first teacher and the Flickr community gave me the first valuable feedback on my work. Through Flickr I joined a group of keen and talented amateurs & professionals that often met socially. We talked photography, joked photography, practised photography... went on photo walks, ran little competitions through the forums, met up for boozy dinners and went away together on camping trips!
I was exposed to some AMAZING work online that really inspired me to try harder, to keep pushing
myself to be better. I read “how to” Photoshop books, searched forums, poured over the camera manual late into the night. But basically just practised the core skills by taking photos of everything and anything.
I met my love, Paul, through this awesome little Flickr group, already a pro commercial photographer for 15 years. Living with him gave me priceless insight into how a working photographer makes money from their art. He taught me the intricacies of Photoshop, he patiently explained how layers work maybe a 100 times before it stuck. He was the one who really gave confidence that I was “good enough” and the gentle push I needed to put myself out there as a business.
Since I've been in business I still find a massive amount of support thorough online forums, Facebooking, Tweeting or Flickr-ing with other fabulous Australian family photographers. I’ve budget for one photography workshop a year which is my only official training. My favourites so far have been Jinky Art’s (Barb Uil) workshop (her work is the epitome of awesome for me) and Jesh De Rox’s Life as an Artform Workshop (he totally changed the way I photograph my clients) . These workshops are invaluable as much for the friendships and connections you make with other photographers as the knowledge you gain.
What type of photography work do you do? Where do you see your photography going?
I’m passionate about capturing families, but not in a traditional portrait studio “everyone look
at the camera and smile” kinda way. My desire is to capture their connection to each other...
their “togetherness”.
I customise each family photo shoot around activities and locations that are a natural fit for the family. I want to capture them “as they are” rather then superimposing my own preconceived ideas of what a family “should be” on my clients by suggesting too much in terms of what they should wear or where we should shoot. I basically hand over creative control of props, location and clothing to my client and my mission is to create fabulous images with what they present to me. I love the creative challenge of this approach and how the focus of the shoot then shifts to it all being about them rather then all about me and my own styling or location preferences.
During a shoot I invite my families into a beautiful experience, a space where they can remember what matters most... the love they share for each other. We have fun, we play silly games, recall special memories and meaningful moments in their lives. The aim of these “invitations” is to create a positive space where my clients are encouraged to feel the true connection that exists between each other, the smiles their faces as I click that shutter says it all really. I get goosebumps when it works.
My clients walk away not only with amazing photos, but hopefully an experience that they will remember each time they look at their images. My hope is that my images on their wall can act like windows back in time, making it so simple to recall the emotion of being a parent ... or conversely, being loved by your parents and siblings. Jesh De Rox would call this “experiential” photography, that is, when the client experience during the shoot is as important, if not more, then art of the capturing the image itself. I’m only just beginning to grasp at the possibilities that lie within this approach. It has required quite a shift of thinking for me and I'm slowly learning how to apply these “experiential invitations” to my work but I'm so pleased to be on the journey. This is the future for me.

I’m based in Kiama, on the South Coast about an hour and a half from Sydney. I shoot clients in Sydney, Melbourne and all along the South Coast from Wollongong to Jervis Bay. I love to explore new places, so willing to travel further afield too!

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?
Barb Uil of Jinky Art was my first major photography crush. I stumbled across her website on a normal uninspiring day in the office (I worked as an online experience design consultant in my previous life.). This was long before having my own kids or making a living from photography was even on the agenda . I was a passionate enthusiast photographer but my work was all over the place... I hadn’t found my niche.
I don’t think I've ever fallen in love with a single body of work as much as I did at that moment... it was her way of jumping into the mindset of a child or family group and capturing what she saw so beautifully that amazed me. Her images resonated with me so strongly that I was hooked into working with families then and there. I knew this was what I wanted to do. I literally yearned for it. For the first time I felt the passion I knew I needed to take the hard journey to becoming a professional.

Describe your style.
A colourful celebration of love and family.
What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?
Barb Uil of course. I still audibly gasp sometimes when she posts a particularly spectacular shoot. She is one of kind.

Jesh De Rox for giving me the tools I was searching for to shoot my families in the way I always wished for.

My partner Paul Gosney (elbow-room.com.au). Even though I pout and don’t show much appreciation when he criticises my work, his feedback encourages me to strive to improve on each shoot.

The sharp Australian light that softens so beautiful at the extremes of the day, the colours of nature, the smell of the ocean, the crunch of sand underfoot, a warm breeze in the air that lifts a child’s whisp of hair just perfectly. Can you tell I just adore beach shoots?? Thankfully I attract a lot of clients that are also beach lovers : )

My clients and their families. It really is ALL about them.
Tools of the trade.
Just the basics for me. A Nikon D300, 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8 and sprinkle of magic in Photoshop.

Your dream project?
Packing up my kids and travelling as a family around this amazing land of ours. Creating a body of work that documents families from all walks of life, from inner city to the remotest locations. A body of work that celebrates diversity but also the one thing we all have in common... the capacity for love.

This capacity for love is expressed in about as many different ways as there are humans on this planet...

I'd like to photograph a book that celebrates ALL the ways we form bonds with other people, from the ordinary to the less conventional “families” out there. A body of work that Illustrates that even within extreme diversity in circumstances and beliefs, we carry within us a commonality that makes us all human. An intense and precious ability to love.

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography?
I’ve recently been nurturing a passion for hand quilting. I’ve written about it here.
Can't live without?
Love and the people in my life that give and receive it!

Growing up I wanted to be a.....
A marine biologist. I thought swimming with dolphins all day sounded like a slice of heaven. It was not until I went to university and studied Biology as my degree that I realised being a marine biologist meant I would probably end up working indoors in a lab looking at worms down a microscope all day!

Favourite things of all time:

Musician
Elton John. One of my most precious memories I hold deep within my heart is belting out Elton John songs with my two best friends, driving along Caves Road in Western Australia on the beginning of a road trip that would take us thousands kilometers across Australia and change all our lives!

Book
I love books, I read everything and anything. If I name just one book as my favourite of all time, it would be an injustice to all the books I’ve loved so much. I will admit however that Harry Potter will always hold a very special place in my heart. I cannot wait till I can read these books to my children at night.

Food
Japanese food. I’m feeling starved for it since moving down to the South Coast as we were spoilt for choice in Sydney. I look forward to my clients booking me for Sydney shoots so I can indulge in sushi for breakfast, lunch and dinner : )

Please check out more of her work at www.kisschaseyphotography.com.au or follow her on Twitter, Facebook or her blog.

BLOG {latest work}
FACEBOOK {news & offers}
TWITTER {@kisschasey}

I like to thank Sophie for her time and for sharing her amazing work with us.

Wedding Photography: Renee and Gerald

2011-07-14T11:32:00.010+10:00

A few months ago I had the pleasure of photographing Renee and Gerald's Wedding. They were such a wonderful couple and one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

It is days like these that make me miss life as a photographer.

The following are some my favourite images from the day.

Photography: Daniel Mu Copyright 2011

One - A short film by Filmmaker, Kurt Mayes

2011-06-16T22:06:00.010+10:00

You may remember Filmmaker, Kurt Mayes from our earlier edition of the Photo Booth session.

Kurt has been busy producing and directing his first short film, One.

Check it out!

Interview: Jonathan Ong, Photographer

2011-04-20T21:53:00.009+10:00

On this edition of ‘The Photo Booth Sessions’, I am joined by Melbourne Wedding Photographer, Jonathan Ong.

I recently came across Jonathan’s work via his blog and instantly became a fan of his unique photography style. He is an amazing story teller with each image visually capturing the moment perfectly.

Let’s find out a little more about Jonathan.

I'm currently based in Melbourne, Australia and have been a wedding photographer for about 6 years now.

I never actually studied photography, but I did do Art in High School and just finished a degree in Communication Design.

Weddings were something I was always loved, so being a wedding photographer was the natural thing to do.

I'm not an overly ambitious person, so I don't have big plans or aims for my "business". I don't really like the commercial part of being a wedding photographer, so I don't advertise and limit myself to just 24 couples a year.

I remember shooting 42 weddings one year and couples became "clients". And that was something I didn't enjoy.

I'm happy that what I love to do is enough to put food on my plate and hopefully in the future, support my family.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?

I got an administrative job when I was 20, I realized that I couldn't do a 9-5 job because I couldn't sit still.

Describe your style.
Honest. I love capturing what's true and real.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?
Design Blogs.

Tools of the trade.
Canon 5D Mk2. 35mm 1.4. 50mm 1.2. 45mm TS. 85mm 1.8. 24mm 2.8. 580EX. Apple iMac 27". Apple Macbook Air 13"

Describe your creative workflow from concept to completion.
Photo Mechanic - Lightroom - Photoshop - Showit Web (Slideshow) - InDesign (Album layout)

Your dream project?
I would love to shoot & publish a cook book one day.

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography?
Shopping. Watching a good movie.

Can't live without?
God. Friends.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....
One of the Top Gear guys.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie - Fight Club, A Single Man
TV Show - Friends, The Office US, Modern Family, Big Bang Theory
Musician - Iron & Wine, Coldplay
Book - The Mind's Eye by Henri Cartier Bresson
Food - Ice Cream
Sporting Team – Arsenal

I like to thank Jonathan for his time and for sharing his work with us. Please check out his blog and website for more of his work.

Website: www.jonathanong.com

Blog: www.jonathanong.com/blog

Interview: Caitlin Bennett, Fashion Graduate

2011-04-07T21:58:00.008+10:00

On our 10^th edition of ‘The Photo Booth Sessions’, I am joined by recent fashion graduate, Caitlin Bennett from Melbourne.
Fresh out of fashion school, Caitlin is ready to stamp her mark in the local fashion industry. She brings with her a style which is young and exciting where vibrant colours make every piece as fun to wear as it looks.

Caitlin graduated last year from Kangan Institute with a Diploma of Applied Fashion Design & Technology.

Her ‘Collide-A-Scopic’ Spring/Summer 2011 Collection debuted at the Kangan Fashion Show at Federation Square in 2010, where she won a Kangan Institute Fashion Design Award.

She has also completed various certificates in Fashion Drawing and Clothing Design & Production from RMIT and Box Hill Institute.

Let’s find out a little more about Caitlin.

I am very excited to start looking for a Fashion Design or Assistant role within the industry. Working with the adidas Australia design team during Spring Summer 2010 was an amazing and invaluable experience. I can’t wait to throw myself into a role in which I can utilize all the skills I have acquired over the years. I feel that my design strengths lie in commercial fashion design. So I will most likely be looking for design roles in the mid to high end of the commercial fashion market.

I personally plan to produce a range of individualistic Street Wear pieces that are 100% ethically manufactured in Melbourne. I also have a passion for the Melbourne and Australian Race Wear scene and will continue to create outfits and millinery for the Racing Carnivals in Australia.

My online boutique www.SeventhElementClothing.com (currently under construction) will be launched later this year.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a fashion designer?

I remember being very confused about which career path to head down when I was in high school. I was a very analytical student and had many interest across a broad range of fields. Perplexed, I asked my mum what I should do. She is a teacher and I assumed she would suggest I become a doctor or a lawyer, like most of the other parents at my school would have. But she told me to pick whatever made me the happiest. That is when I realised that it was ok to want to have a creative career that you enjoyed. That is when I realised that I really did want to be a fashion designer professionally.

Describe your style.

I am a bit of a Chameleon with my personal style. I like to experiment and try not to be restricted to any one particular look. I tend to be sporting a new theme every day. Monday I might be a tomboy in a high top kicks and a backwards cap. Tuesday I may be a bohemian beach babe in a maxi dress and headband. Wednesday I could be ready to hit the town in a playsuit and killer heels. It depends on my mood I guess. Change is always a good thing I think.

My fashion design philosophy would be to always flatter the body and bring out the personality of the wearer. My clothes should speak volumes about the spirit of whoever is wearing them. I love using bright bouncy colours, playing with printed fabrics and colour blocking. I tend to be drawn to geometric style lines and art deco prints. I love playing with volume to create intriguing silhouettes. I often experiment with folds, layers and pleating details to create interest. My designs are young, fun and frivolous. If you don’t mind standing out and making a statement you will love my clothes.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

Melbourne is a huge source of inspiration for me. The city is colourful, energetic, diverse, stylish and unique and my designs reflect these elements.

Nature is another key inspiration with its vibrant colours and graceful lines.

The Art Deco design movement is a strong influence in my design aesthetic. It is not a conscious decision but my designs often echo the bold linear symmetry and geometric shapes that are synonymous with the Art Deco style.

Music is also a major inspiration for me. Often when I listen to a good tune I envision a style that goes with the sound. Like the music is the soundtrack for a look in my head. I get a lot of my best ideas listening to music when I’m on the treadmill. It must be all those endorphins.

Tools of the trade.

Pantone markers / An A3 folio / Watercolour paints / Staedtler grey leads / An endless supply of pins / A quick unpick / A pair of clippers / A tape measure / An awl / A pair of notchers / A set square & grading ruler / Good sharp fabric scissors / Good paper scissors / Chalk / Adobe CS4 / An over locker / A good sewing machine. (Which I am in desperate need of at the moment!)

Describe your creative workflow from concept to final garment?

Once I have an inspiration I can usually see a vague image of the design in my head. I may sketch quickly at this stage. I then have learnt to move straight into fabric selection as it has proven to make or break many designs in the past. Often the direction of my designs are steered by the fabrics I find. Once I have good fabric and trim options I go back and re-design with these in mind. When I feel I have fully resolved a design I create a final fashion drawing. This serves as my ultimate reference for the look and feel of the design throughout the production process.

I can then undertake the task of pattern-making. This is a process that uses an understanding of the measurements of a body to draft the pieces of a garment. I use these pieces to sew up a ‘toile’ or mock-up of the garment and continually edit the pieces until the look and fit is perfected. Then I can cut and construct the pieces of the final garment. The last step is fitting the outfit to the client and making the final styling choices to complete the look.

Dream projects?

Project Runway.

Designing for an iconic Aussie fashion label like Alex Perry, Sass & Bide, Seafolly, Nicola Finetti, Zimmermann…

Designing for an international Fashion House like Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Chloé, Stella McCartney, Pucci…

Designing my own range of quirky fashion items 100% ethically manufactured in Melbourne!

Any hobbies or passions outside of fashion?

Cooking / Art / Architecture / Interior design / Traveling / Any sports / Snowboarding / The gym / Festivals / Reading / Hanging out with friends / Concerts / Gigs / Exhibitions / Movies / Musicals / Hitting the town for a good meal, a drink & a dance.

Can't live without?

Passion / Chocolate / Art / My friends & family / Music / Love / Colour / Individuality / Adobe Illustrator / Exercise / The Food Chanel / Google / My sewing kit.

Growing up I wanted to be a...

Ballerina / Artist / Chef / Writer / Fashion Designer.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie: The Wizard of Oz

TV Show: Sex & The City

Musician: Nirvana

Album: ‘Low End Theory’ by A Tribe Called Quest

Song: ‘Lithium’ by Nirvana

Book: ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho

Magazine: Harper’s BAZAAR

Food: Curry

Sporting Team: My netball team “The Adi-Dasslers” … Grand Final Champions 2011!

Artist: Salvador Dalí

Designer: Alexander McQueen

I like to thank Caitlin for her time and for sharing her work with us. She can be contacted by email at caitlinjanebennett@hotmail.com

Interview: Chelsea Millunchick, Photographer

2011-03-29T21:53:00.008+11:00

On this edition of the 'Photo Booth Session's' I am joined by San Francisco based photographer and makeup artist, Chelsea Millunchick.

I came across Chelsea's work recently through her blog Willow & Frank. Her dream like images are so amazing and I totally love how she is able to capture that magical moment in every shot. It is with great pleasure to be able to share her story and work on my blog.

Let's find out a little more about Chelsea.

I have been a makeup artist for 5 years and I have been photographing models for about 8 months.

I am a self taught photographer and I am still learning!

Thankfully I have friends who are also photographers who have provided me with advice along the way. Observing other photographers during the past 5 years has definitely helped me to gain an understanding of lighting and direction.

So far I have loved photographing girls and I shoot mostly with natural light. I love the elegance and grace of women, they can appear vulnerable and genuine. I hope to eventually appear in as many fashion magazines as I can and work with top fashion designers from all over the world. That would be nice : )

I am an Australian, based in San Francisco. My blog Willow & Frank is where I feature my own work as well as other fashion photography and design. My photography website is coming very soon! Stay tuned to Willow & Frank.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?

As a makeup artist I was always involved with fashion photography and over time my interest for photography grew. I found myself wanting to create not only through makeup, but from behind the lens, too.

Describe your style.

Dreamy, delicate, soft and elegant.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

Other photographers have been a huge inspiration to me. Those who I greatly admire are Camilla Akrans, Guy Aroch, Bruno Dayan, Waldemar Hansson and Sandra Freij. Their pictures look like a dream and that's what I try to achieve in my images.

Beautiful girls are such an inspiration, all you need is a gorgeous model that can connect with the camera and some lovely lighting, all the rest just adds to the story. Nature is truly inspiring, there is so much magic there, the change of lighting and weather can influence the mood of the concept.

Tools of the trade.

I shoot with my Canon 5D Mark II

Describe your creative workflow from concept to completion.

I will usually get inspired by a location first and then i will put together a mood board for further inspiration. Picking a model comes next, its important I pick a girl who I think will fit the setting and the mood. I then start to think about different looks and outfits and then pairing up those looks with the suited areas of the location.

Nothing ever goes to plan when you are shooting but its good to have a rough plan to start out with. There are always so many things to think about, and some scenarios work and some do not, so sometimes you really just have to go with the flow.

Your dream project?

Shooting Natalia Vodianova for Vogue.

Any hobbies or passions outside of photography?

I am a bit of a home bug so I love to decorate and i love to garden on a warm day.

Can't live without?

My man and my two french bulldogs.

Growing up I wanted to be...an air hostess.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie: Almost famous

TV Show: Six Feet Under

Musician: Thom Yorke
Album: Too Many! One if my favorites is the 'self titled' album by Broken Social Scene, I can listen to it in any mood!

Song: 'Dreams' Fleetwood Mac

Magazine: Frankie

Food: Ice cream!

I like to thank Chelsea for her time and for sharing her work with us.

For more of Chelsea's work please check out her blog Willow & Frank

Interview: Kurt Mayes, Film Student

2011-03-22T22:12:00.004+11:00

On this edition of the Photo Booth Sessions I am joined by Kurt Mayes, 26 year old, film student from Byron Bay.

Kurt is one of those guys you know will do well in whatever he does and for him it is the creative genre of film where his passion falls. I have no doubt we will hear much more from Kurt Mayes in the future. The boy's also got some game when it comes to basketball.

Let's find out a little more about Kurt.

I'm currently in my first year of a Bachelor of Film Production degree, studying at SAE in Byron Bay. My aim is to one day be a writer/director of feature length films. I had been writing for about 4 years before I decided to leave my marketing job at adidas Australia and apply for film school. The timing felt right and I was at a point where I wanted to learn the skills that would enable me to transfer my writing onto screen in a directing capacity. I submitted my writing folio to SAE and was lucky enough to receive a scholarship.

The moment you realised you wanted to be a filmmaker?
Shit, that's a tough first question. I'm gonna skip this one and come back to it later... Ok i'm back. It would probably be a combination of 'things' or 'moments'. With art it's always tricky to know whether you're on the right track or not. I had a really good high school media teacher who was probably the first one to notice that I had talent with filmmaking and writing. Having that reassurance and encouragement definitely helped.

Then there's a couple of other cliche moments, such as seeing 'Pulp Fiction' for the first time, or finishing my first screenplay. They're all motivating factors that made me realise filmmaking was the path I wanted to take.

Describe your style.
Man these questions don't get any easier... From a directing point I can't say i've established a style yet. When it comes to shot selection or when i'm thinking about how to film a scene I usually go back to other films or directors that I appreciate and look at how they've approached certain scenes. So for now I will probably be a 'homage' director until I develop a style of my own.

With writing my style is a little more defined. I wouldn't pigeon hole it to any specific genre though. I like symbolism and open-endings that encourage the audience to think for themselves and form their own opinions. As well as creating metaphors through the storytelling that my target audience can relate to.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?
I try to watch as many movies as possible. No matter how bad a movie is there will always be something you can take from it, even if that 'something' is remembering to never take anything away from that shitty movie you just watched. Key influences are probably my three favourite directors; Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson and David Lynch.

From a writing point of view it's totally different though. I'll go through phases of things that inspire me. For 2 years straight i listened to nothing but Gold 104 on the radio because I found that song writers from the 60's and 70's were much better at storytelling than today's songwriters.

Lately i've found that getting out there and putting myself in unfamiliar territory and watching how I react can always provide interesting insights into behavioural traits and what motivates us. Meeting and conversing with interesting people is also a great way to source ideas for characters. You never know who you're going to run into that will provide that spark needed for a character your working on.

Tools of the trade.
Being a first year film student I've only been trained on the Sony Z1P and P2 cameras. I work on a MacBook Pro. For editing I use Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack Pro. I also use various Adobe programs for visual effects such as After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator. And for scriptwriting I use Final Draft. But if anyone is looking for free scriptwriting software, then I recommend Celtx. It's a free download and basically has all the functions of high end scriptwriting software.

Describe your filmmaking process from concept to final production.
As i've only made one short film i'll describe my writing process cause that's a little more defined now that i've written 4 feature length scripts. If i come up with an idea i'll let it sit in my head for a couple of months and see if it develops into anything. During this time i'll write down various notes until i've got enough material to warrant a story outline.

Next comes characters. I'll work out who the main characters are and write a backstory for each of them. This is usually 2-3 pages of notes ranging from personality traits to describing their looks as well as listing everything important event that has happened in their lives that has led them to this point.

Next i will work on the story structure, making sure i have a strong 3 act structure with all necessary story points such as inciting incidents, turning points, climax, resolution, etc... Once I have outlined a 3 act structure I will write one sentence descriptions for each scene on individual pieces of paper. I pin these onto a notice board above my desk in order from start to finish. For me this is the most challenging but also the most important part in the whole process. It allows me to visualise the story in it's entirety and work out what's missing or what unnecessary scenes need to be cut.

Once that's sorted I feel like the hard part is over, actually writing the story is the easy part. Now you just need to focus on creatively writing the action and dialogue, you don't need to worry about the story because thats already been worked out, but at the same time I need to be open to changes depending on where these characters might unexpectedly take me.

What are some of your favourite films and television shows?
Films - Pulp Fiction, Donnie Darko, Magnolia, Adaptation, The Graduate, Mullholand Drive, Taxi Driver, A Clockwork Orange, Oldboy, Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
TV - The Sopranos, Twin Peaks, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Breaking Bad

Your dream project?
If David Lynch approached me to reprise the Twin Peaks franchise by writing and directing season 3 with him I would shit myself, have a heart attack and suffer a stroke...in that order.

Any hobbies or passions outside of film?
I try to read as much as possible. You never know where your next idea will come from. I also like to run and surf cause they both provide an opportunity to relax and think about creative ideas i'm working on.

Can't live without?
Torrents and red wine.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....
NBA basketballer

Favourite things of all time:
Movie - Pulp Fiction or Magnolia
TV Show - The Sopranos
Musician - Daft Punk
Album - Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust ...or... Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - The Golden Year
Song - Chemical Brothers - The Test
Book - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Magazine - Sneaker Freaker
Food - Mexican
Sporting Team - Chicago Bulls

I would like to thank Kurt for his time and wish him all the best for his film studies and career.
Contact Details: kurtmayes@hotmail.com

Interview: Xiaohan Shen, Fashion Photographer

2011-02-08T21:44:00.017+11:00

Joining us on our latest edition of the 'Photo Booth Sessions' is Xiaohan Shen, a fashion and portrait photographer from Sydney.

Xiaohan, Photography by Jayna Chan

Having been a long time fan of fashion photography, in particularly street fashion. I was so excited when I came across the work of Xiaohan. Her work is so fresh and inspiring. Her fashion work is equally as amazing. A quick journey through her blog is a must for any fashion or photography fan.

It is with great pleasure to be able to share her story and work with you on my blog.

Let's find out a little more about Xiaohan.

A little introduction.

I've been doing photography for over 5 years and have been taking it quite seriously for the last 3. I'm a self taught photographer, I studied graphic design and have been working as an art director in online advertising for over 5 years, it was through work and friends that my love for photography was ignited. I specialise in fashion and portrait photography and I hope to shoot plenty of editorial work in the future as well as further develop my personal work. I started xssat in 2008 to combine my love of fashion and photography, being a digital native, blogging is the perfect fit. When I'm out style hunting I'm constantly scanning the streets, when I see someone that catches my eye, I simply tell them it's for my blog and ask to take their pictures. It really is the ultimate compliment to someone and their fashion sense so I rarely get turned down.

You can find my photography work at: http://xiaohan.net/photography.htm Xssat my street fashion blog is over here: http://www.xssatstreetfashion.com/

The moment you realised you wanted to be a photographer?
The moment I saw one of my friend's photography work I knew I had to pick up a camera and start snapping.

Describe your style.
My photography style is feminine and honest, I strive to make my pictures intriguing, to convey emotions, feeling and stories.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?
Films, music and the places you see and the people you meet traveling the world.

Tools of the trade.
Canon 5D mk II and a big array of film cameras including: Olympus OM2, Seagull TRL and Holga.

Describe your creative work flow from concept to completion.
For my street fashion work, I try to set aside at least half a day every week to roam the streets of Sydney. Sometimes I see no one I find interesting, other days I find 5 or 6 and that's a lot! For my fashion work, I dream up a concept, usually inspired by a designer's collection, a recent film I've seen or perhaps just something that's been brewing in my sub-conscious. I then find the suitable models, go location scouting and put together a team of stylist, hair and makeup artist. I'm always heavily involved in every step, from deciding the clothes, to the makeup and hair. The actual photo session only takes a few hours, a day max, but the preparation can take weeks with many headaches and cancellations involved.

Your dream project?
To shoot fashion editorials for magazines like ID, V and Dazed and Confused.

Any hobbies or passions outside of fashion and photography?
I love to work with my hands, I do a bit of crafty things when I get around to it, like sewing and making props for my shoots.

Can't live without?
Good food.

Growing up I wanted to be a.....Creative director at a design firm.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie - Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
TV Show - Anything that involves food...
Musician - Peaches
Album - Boxer by the National
Song - Lost cause by Beck
Book - On the road by Jack Kerouac
Magazine - Wired
Food - Xiaolongbao (Shanghai soup dumplings)

I like to thank Xiaohan for her time and for sharing her work with us. I look forward to reading her blog and to see more of her work in the future.

Please check out more of her work at http://xiaohan.net/photography.htm or http://www.xssatstreetfashion.com/

Interview: Lori Andrews, Interior Designer/Photographer

2011-01-28T19:01:00.025+11:00

Lori Andrews, an Interior Designer and Photographer from Calgary, Alberta, Canada join us on our latest edition of the ‘Photo Booth Q&A Sessions’.

I first came across Lori’s work through her website www.the10centdesigner.com. I became an instant fan of her interior designs and was totally inspired by her photography. I’m extremely excited to be able to share her work with you on my blog.

Summer starts now

Montauk revisited

Campy horror living room

Living room with afternoon sun

Merry Christmas baby

Let’s find out a little more about Lori.

A little Introduction.

Lori graduated from the University of Calgary with a BFA and has been working as an Interior Designer and Photographer for over 8 years. She continues to improve her skills by taking courses in both of her professions.

What type of interior design work do you do?

I concentrate my interior work on private residential houses.

Tell us about your photography? Where do you see your photography going?

I have been a stock photographer for a couple of years now which I intend to continue with. I also do interior photography and portraiture for clients. I have also participated in some art gallery projects and I would like to explore that further.

The moment you realised you wanted to be an Interior Designer and/or Photographer?

With an arts background I knew I wanted to work in creative fields. Interior design and photography were a natural fit for me. It was not so much a spontaneous moment as I in fact spent about 6 months coming up with my business plan before I began my career.

Describe your style.

My interior design style is a mash up of mid century modern & eclectic with an emphasis on simplicity. My photography style is very much the same.

What inspires you creatively? Any key influences?

I am inspired by Art. Interior designers I love include Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler and Vincent Wolf. Photographers I love include Gregory Crewdson, Loretta Lux and Edward Burtynsky.

Tools of the trade.

Canon 5D Mark II, Hasselblad, Holga, Polaroid, point and shoot, gopro, Canon T90, Olympus Pen PP1. I love film and I love digital.

Describe your creative work flow from concept to completion.

I plan my images in advance. In the case of my interior design you could say that the entire project is merely a set design for my completed image. All of my other photography pursuits are equally planned. I choose the sets, the costumes, the lighting requirements in advance. I prefer to shoot with natural light so I often wait weeks to achieve the image I want.

Your dream project?

Interiors - Designing my own mostly glass eco-cabin in the middle of my dream property (an expansive prairie field of grass). Photography - I dream of larger budgets and assistants.

Any hobbies or passions outside of design and photography?

Many! I love the outdoors. Being Canadian and living in the west means I get to enjoy the spectacular scenery year round. I hike, I canoe, I mountain bike, I snowshoe and I cross country ski. I blog and maintain an online presence just for the love of it. I love to cook and share my gluten free/healthy recipes. I also love music and I will travel to attend concerts by indie bands I love.

Can't live without?

The prairie

Growing up I wanted to be a.....

Special effects makeup artist in Hollywood.

Favourite things of all time:

Movie - "Wings of Desire" Wim Wenders
TV Show - "Austin City Limits" PBS
Band - Wilco
Album - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" Modest Mouse
Song - right now, anything from Passion Pit
Book - The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
Magazine - Marie Claire Maison
Food - avocados
Sporting Team - Team

Canada

(anything)

I like to thank Lori for her time and for sharing her work with us. I look forward to seeing more of her work in the future.

Please check out Lori’s amazing Flickr stream of images or her website http://www.the10centdesigner.com/

Intel Visual Life: The Sartorialist

2011-01-07T08:55:00.013+11:00

Intel recently shot a seven minute short documentary on Scott Schuman aka The Sartorialist. The film gives us a great insight on the daily life of The Sartorialist as he wanders the streets capturing the amazing street fashion. His images are truly beautiful. This is a must see for all The Sartorialist fans.